neolithic arrowheads

These Neolithic arrowheads from the Sahara Desert are artifacts from a time when human societies were transitioning from a nomadic existence to more settled lifestyles, around 5,000 to 7,000 years ago. During this period, people in the Sahara were adapting to changing climates, as the region was experiencing the tail end of the "Green Sahara" or "African Humid Period," when the desert was much wetter and supported lakes, rivers, and vegetation. This environmental context allowed for semi-permanent or even permanent settlements where communities engaged in pastoralism alongside early forms of agriculture, cultivating crops like sorghum and millet, and domesticating animals such as cattle, goats, and sheep.

The arrowheads, made from materials like chert or flint, were crucial for hunting game, which was still a significant part of their diet, but also for defense and possibly in rituals or conflicts with neighboring groups. The craftsmanship involved in creating these arrowheads reflects a society with specialized skills; flintknapping, the art of shaping stone, required knowledge passed down through generations, indicating a cultural sophistication and division of labor. Living in small communities, these people constructed simple shelters, possibly from mud-brick, stone, or organic materials, near water sources that would later disappear as the Sahara dried out.